Theo Zachos

 

As a kid, I was inquisitive. I was a mischievous kid, you could say. I liked taking things apart and failing to put them back together, to my mother's disgust. I wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, you could say. At high school, I was kicked out of year 9 English virtually every lesson. The only thing I really enjoyed doing was art and tech studies where I could basically express myself.

In art, I designed a motorised skateboard which was a working product. Came to the point where I did year 12. I didn't have enough points, so I got into a trade. And, with that trade, once again, I was taking things apart, but I had good mentors and good teachers, so I had the hunger still to design things.

So I completed a few TAFE courses in computer-aid design. So I scored myself a job with ASC working now on the Air Warfare Destroyer program designing leading-edge components for our ships which are being built here in Adelaide.

What gives me satisfaction is something that I've designed and it's being part of a team and seeing our product not only on paper, but we know it will be a huge, huge satisfaction seeing our ship out in the water. So I think when the day comes and seeing those ships out to sea, it's going to be awesome.